A call to action

DennyCrane said:

I don't know where to start with this. I have been frustrated for sometime over what I perceive to be an lack of commitment from the athletic department in maximizing NIL funds. I believe the funds are there and the athletic department is not committed to doing what is necessary to free them up. I gave up my season tickets and quit donating last year. It wasn't a lot of money but it was enough that I think people would agree I have the right to express my opinion. Anyway, after what I'm witnessing with the portal this year, I spent about 2 hours crafting an email that I sent to the athletic department that was critical of their efforts at raising NIL and their overall commitment to pushing the envelope with NIL. Of course, no response.

I then posted a thread on RSS that pointed out several statistics with the AD budget and provided email addresses for points of contacts at the AD to contact if they, like me, were frustrated with the perceived lack of commitment. The thread was taken down this morning on RSS. I actually DM'ed Garrett about my efforts PRIOR to the thread being taken down and asked him to share on here to see if there was an organized effort that could be made to get more transparency and make the AD answer some questions about why we can't spend $40 million on a roster. Thread gone. Its funny that it happened. I copied the contents of my post because I had a feeling that may happen. I'll post below. But feel free to let Sean have it on RSS if you can as to why my thread was taken down. All of these fuckers are in bed together. As a fan that sucks. I know many don't like Rhule but I think he is the one person trying to push these assclowns to work harder and get the program with the times and spend money. He needs help from the fanbase.

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DennyCrane said:

I will put my post from RSS in next message. I'm venting about the thread being taken down. Read it and ask why it would ever be taken down unless someone asked Sean to do so? There are no threats. No doxing, all publicly available contact information. It tells me my concerns are valid.

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DennyCrane said:

I spent about 2 hours crafting an email that I sent to the athletic department that was critical of their efforts at raising NIL and their overall commitment to pushing the envelope with NIL. Of course, no response.

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Below are the entire contents of my post on RSS. Sorry for formatting issues. Cross platform pasting changed it. I'm not a tinfoil hat guy. Just a fan trying to help.​

I made a post buried in a different thread that I don't buy the lack of money argument. I subscribe to the "lack of political will" argument. For whatever reason, the powers that be in the AD and/or the University, perhaps even in the Capitol refuse to go to the lengths necessary to spend what is necessary to be at the top in today's college football. One thing I am convinced of is this: the money is 100% there IF the AD would put the effort in to increase the player funds pool. Below are my arguments and actions steps everyday fans can take to pressure the AD to change. Absent a unicorn donor, or group of donors, it won't change until the public demands it do so. So here you go: ​

• Strong Financial Position Enables Reallocation: With record revenue of $220.1 million in FY 2023-24, up $15.3 million from the previous year, and a $6.7 million surplus, the athletic department has ample resources to increase player budgets without jeopardizing operations. This surplus, combined with consistent annual profits (e.g., $13.9 million in FY 2022-23), shows the department can afford to divert an additional $10-15 million annually toward NIL and revenue-sharing, pushing the player budget to $35-40 million while maintaining fiscal health. Do you need to cut staff in other parts of the AD? Or some non-revenue generating men's sports? Maybe. But you do it.
• Football's Massive Profitability Supports Investment: Football generated $128.1 million in revenue, creating a $44 million surplus after expenses, accounting for 71.9% of ticket sales, 83.9% of $64 million in media rights, and 66.1% of concessions. Reinvesting a portion of this into player acquisition would enhance competitiveness, potentially boosting future revenues through better performance, attendance, and media deals, similar to how programs like Texas Tech and Indiana have used aggressive NIL spending to attract talent. You either spend like them or sit in envy of them. Its simple.
• Donor Contributions Offer Untapped Potential: The department received $76.3 million in donations, with $43.7 million in general funds and $30.5 million earmarked for football. Diverting a fraction of general donor funds—mirroring past reallocations like the Playfly Sports partnership for marketing and revenue—could directly fund NIL collectives without new fundraising, addressing bureaucratic hurdles and ensuring Nebraska keeps pace with Big Ten rivals investing heavily in players. Think about the fact that less than 1/2 of the donations to the AD go to football. Do you think that is right? And how much of that money that goes to "football" is really for football? There is so much fat in that athletic department. Let's not forget the AD has consistently given money back to the University? WTF are we even doing here? Taking donor dollars meant to build a winner on the football field and give it to academia? Don't you think donors would donate directly to the University if they wanted that? It inexcusable.
• Top-Heavy Structure and Non-Essential Expenses Can Be Trimmed: Expenses rose $22.6 million year-over-year to $213.4 million, suggesting inefficiencies in staffing and operations. Cutting redundant administrative roles or non-revenue-generating men's sports (e.g., those with low attendance and high costs) could free up millions, as seen in other programs that streamline to prioritize revenue sports. This isn't about gutting the department but reallocating to player development, which drives overall athletic success. And football player acquisition (basketball/volleyball to much lesser degrees) are all that matters.
• Future Revenue-Sharing Mandate Demands Proactive Action: Starting in FY 2025-26 (July 2025), a $20.5 million line item for athlete revenue-sharing is already budgeted, with administrators confirming affordability through surpluses and savings. However, to compete nationally, Nebraska should exceed this baseline by addressing scared compliance or bureaucratic delays, ensuring full utilization and additional NIL funds to attract top recruits amid rising competition from well-funded programs.
• Competitive Necessity in the NIL Era: Refusal to aggressively fund player acquisition results in where we are; Behind the blue bloods that are Texas Tech and Kentucky. Nebraska's resources position it to lead, not lag; diverting funds needs to be done NOW to improve: on-field results, fan engagement and ultimately increasing long-term revenue through championships and brand value.

• Organize a Coordinated Email Campaign: Send polite but firm emails outlining the arguments above, emphasizing fan frustration with underinvestment in players despite strong finances. Lets create a template to maintain consistency, including specific demands like diverting $10-15 million more to NIL and trimming bureaucracy.
• Target Key Decision-Makers: Focus emails on athletic department leaders responsible for budgeting, compliance, and NIL. Include the arguments, stats, and a call for transparency on fund allocation. Send to multiple recipients for broader impact, and encourage CC'ing the entire list to amplify pressure.
• Follow Up and Escalate: After emailing, post updates on RSS about responses received. If no action after 2-4 weeks, suggest escalating to media ( not sure who will actually pressure the university but pick your poison. Maybe see if ole' Lee B is up for ruffling feathers these days) or Regents via public meetings to highlight fan demands.
• Track and Share Progress: Create a board thread for RSSers to report email sends and any replies, building momentum. Reference the FY 2023-24 stats in communications to ground demands in facts.

• Troy Dannen, Athletic Director: ad@huskers.com
• Seth Dorsey, Deputy AD - Internal Operations/CFO: sdorsey@huskers.com
• Haven Fields, Deputy AD - Chief Operating Officer: hcfields@huskers.com
• Tyler Kai, Deputy AD - Revenue Generation: tkai@huskers.com
• Jonathan Bateman, Associate AD - Administration (NIL): jbateman@huskers.com
• Patricia Peterson, Senior Associate AD - Compliance: ppeterson@huskers.com
• Kortne Gosha, Senior Associate AD - Capital Planning: kgosha@huskers.com
• Bailey Worthy, Associate AD of Business Administration: bworthy@huskers.com
• Jami Hagedorn, Associate AD of Financial Reporting: jhagedorn@huskers.com
• Jo Bialas, Assistant AD of Auditing & Reporting: jbialas@huskers.com